Golf impact recorder



Dec. 20, 1966 R. G. BAHNSEN GOLF IMPACT RECORDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1964 S xi x0 r L r n #2 3 n QO\ 0: 3: b3 m:

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GOLF IMPACT RECORDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. G. BAHNSEN GOLF IMPACT RECORDER Dec; 20, 1 966 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 31, 1964 NUMBU? O DRIVES PlUG A v., I a 34 56789 PLUGB iuua X Dec. 20, 1966 R. G. BAHNSEN 3,292,436

GOLF IMPACT RECORDER Filed March 51, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 s 8 PUT! INSTRUCTIONS PLUG A. 6 7 552 :4422 o O xx: X9

so A 75 m l POBEFT q. Bfl/ WSE/V ATTY'S United States Patent 3,292,436 GOLF IIVIPACT RECORDER Robert G. Bahnsen, Bellevue Heights, South Australia, Australia Filed Mar. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 356,094 Claims priority, application Australia, Apr. 5, 1963, 29,266/ 63 2 Claims. (Cl. 73-379) impact recorder which would be suitable for use in checking the impact of a golf club against a ball, resembling a golf ball.

The second object of this invention is to provide an impact recorder which forms portion of a game device so that the use of the invention can be extended beyond the mere practising for golf to the playing of a game which stimulates the game of golf.

In its simplest form the invention may be said to consist of a frame with two spaced longitudinal frame members, a pair of aligned bearings one in each longitudinal frame member, a transverse shaft journalled in the bearings, a stem fixed at its inner and relative to the transverse shaft and extending therefrom at right angles thereto, a ball on the end of the stem distal from the shaft, means on the frame responsive to rotation of the transverse shaft, and a revolution counter operatively connected to the rotation responsive means.

By this means, it becomes possible to estimate the approximate distance which a golf ball would have travelled, since there is a relationship between the number of revolutions which the transverse shaft will make and the distance which would be travelled by a golf ball in free flight under similar impact.

Two embodiments of the invention are described hereunder, the first embodiment describing a device which is suitable for a golf player to simulate a golf game and to practise hitting his ball while the second illustrates a device which can similarly be used for the playing of a game which simulates golf.

The first embodiment is described with reference to and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section (shown broken) through an impact recorder according to its simplest form,

FIG. 2 is a plan of the impact recorder shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an impact recorder as set up for the playing of a game,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section which illustrates the rotation responsive means and also a ball stop device used as part of the embodiment of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a plan of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 shows portion of the electrical circuit used in the second embodiment, showing the stroke score, reset, power pack and detector unit, and

FIG. 8 shows the remainder of the circuit and illustrates the revolution counter portion thereof.

According to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a frame 100 has two spaced longitudinal frame members 101 each of channel section. Disposed centrally in the longitudinal frame members 101 are a pair of aligned bearings 102 (FIG. 3), and a transverse shaft 103 is journalled in these bearings. The transverse shaft 103 has pinned to it a counterweight 104 which extends with most of its mass on the one side of the shaft 103, and contains a tubular socket 105 on the other side, the tubular socket 105 containing within it a rubber bush 106 which is retained by means of a pair of wire spring clips 107 disposed near the inner end of the bush 106, and so arranged that after a certain number of strokes (say five hundred) under average conditions the bush 106 will move outwardly from the socket 105 due to fatigue where it is retained by the wire spring clips 107, so that the ball shaft and bush assembly will need replacing at this stage.

A headed stem 110 has its inner head 111 retained in position by the rubber bush 106, and its outer head 112 being distal from the transverse shaft 103, the outer head 112 being of mushroom shape as shown in FIG. 3 and retaining thereon a rubber ball 113. The headed stem 110 in this embodiment is formed from heat treated nylon of high quality, since this is subjected to high stresses when the ball 113 is struck by a golf club, although other resilient resin based plastics materials may be used (for example, a poly(esterurethane) elastomer). The stem is so chosen for dimension and material that under normal average conditions it will not break due to fatigue before the nee-d for replacement due to fatigue of the bush 106. This combination constitutes an important safety feature. The transverse shaft 103 has one end projecting and this end has on it a helical torsion spring 117 with an out-turned end 118, the out-turned end 118 making direct mechanical contact with the arm 119 of a revolution counter 120 carried on an outrigger frame 121.

To avoid damage to golf clubs and also to the impact recorder, each of the longitudinal frame members 101 has secured along its upper edge a rubber pad which is formed from soft resilient rubber capable of deflecting a golf club without damage thereto.

According to the second embodiment of FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, a cabinet (FIG. 4) is disposed at one end of a platform 131 which platform supports the frame 100 carrying thereon the rubber ball 113 on the headed stern 110. Again use is made of the rubber pads 125.

The cabinet 130 is provided with a coin slot 134 adapted to receive a coin to operate a coin switch (designated in FIG. 7 as 173), and the cabinet 130 contains a limit selector switch 135 which selects the number of drives, an indicator 136 which indicates the number of drives, a distance simulating readout sequence 137, and a series of incandescent globes 138 providing putting instructions. The distance simulating read out sequence and also the indicator consist of decade counter tubes, in this embodiment being Phillips tubes Z520M. i

Situated alongside the cabinet 130 is a putting board 140 containing four holes on a sloping ramp portion 141 into which a normal golf ball 142 can be selectively putted by a golf club in accordance with the instructions received from the machine under putting instructions. The sloping putting board does not form any part of this invention.

Referring first to the mechanical arrangements of the mechanism for the second embodiment which are shown of an eccentric boss 147, the eccentricity of the boss 147 counterbalancing the cut out portion. The disc 145 is adapted to move between a horseshoe magnet 146 and a reed switch 148, both on the outrigger plate 149, and both embedded in a block 150 of polyester resin. The disc 145 is of ferro-magnetic material which shunts the magnetic field until the cut out portion lies between the magnet and reed switch, whereupon the reed switch closes. The reed switch in this embodiment is manufactured by the Honeywell Corporation and is avalable in Australia from Honeywell Proprietary Limited of Franklin Street, Adelaide, South Australia, under Catalogue No. ICSl.

The rubber ball 113 is again carried on the end of a headed stem 110 which stem is supported by the counterweight 104 as in the first embodiment. However the normal path of the head 153 of the headed stem 110 is intersected by a ball stop roller 154 which is spring loaded outwardly so as to interfere with the free rotation of the ball and stem except when a solenoid 155 is energised. However, the ball stop roller is deflected by the ball moving past it when the solenoid is not energised, thereby allowing the ball and stem to rotate, but restraining this rotation. This reduces danger of breaking the stem if the ball is struck when the roller is in its out position. The spring loading is by means of the tension spring 157 on the end of an arm 158, the arm 158 being on a rotatable shaft 159 journalled to a subframe 160 on the main frame 100, and the arrangement is such that the ball stop roller 154 is deflected from its normal position, thereby stretching the spring 157, upon rotation of the headed stem 110, and stops the ball from rotating.

When however the solenoid 155 is energised, the rotatable shaft 159 is rotated by means of the link 162 on the short arm 163 which is also on the rotatable shaft 159.

The circuit for the second embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, and the plug X which is separately shown on both these drawings illustrates the interconnection between the electrical components which are shown on the two drawings FIGS. 7 and 8.

Referring first to FIG. 8 which illustrates the revolution counter portion of the circuit, fifty volts is supplied from the power transformer 165 (FIG. 7) through the connection pin 4 of the plug X to feed the uniselector S which in this embodiment is a device driven by one contact for each impulse of the reed switch 148. The return circuit from the coil of S5 is through pin 3 of plug X (FIG. 8) contact M2 and the normally open contact G1 to earth (FIG. 7). The relay G is a detector relay which is operated by the reed switch 148 once per revolution.

' The units selector S5 banks 2 and 3 and banks 4 and 5 are used in conjunction with the relays, stage relay A and changeover relay C, to provide fifty outlets for control and indication respectively. Considering banks 2 and 3, at every tenth contact an impulse is passed to the coil S8 of the control selector S8 which is a uniselector for registering the tens and hundreds in the distance simulating read out sequence, and also is used for illuminating a selected incandescent globe 138. The impulse to coil S8 is via contact P1 of a pulse relay P. At contact 23, bank 3 of units selector S5, the changeover relay C is energised and holds in through its own contact C1, while the other contact C2 connects the stage relay A to contact 1, bank 3 of the units selector S5. When the units selector S5 reaches the twenty-fifth step, that is, completes its first stage of cycling, the stage relay A energises and holds itself in through its own contact A1. Contacts A2 and A3 of relay A change over to bring banks 2 and 4 of the units selector S5 into use. Stage 2 continues until the fortyninth count.

Recycling The control selector S8 steps once for every ten counts of the selector 5 (FIG. 8, banks 2 and 3 of S5). At every step before the fifth of S8 (that is, the fourth,

ninth etc.), a positive feed is made to the recycling. relay B from banks 2 and 3 of S8. The contact B1 disconnects the holding in supply for the stage relay A and changeover relay C, but the coil of the recycling. relay B is electrically interlocked with the coils of the. relays A and C so that as long as the relay B is energised, so also are the relays A and C. The contact B2 l connects contact No. 1 of bank 2 of the units selector; S5 into the impulse circuit of the control selector :S8.

The contact B3 disconnects the contact No. 1 of bank 4 of the units selector S5. When the units selector S5 1 completes its second cycling (that is its fiftieth step),

an impulse is sent to the coil S8 which in turn steps the 1 control selector S8 to its fifth contact and breaks the connection to relay B. As A and C also are nowdependent upon this supply they will also release,:and a i new cycle of fifty counts begins for the relay S5. The relay B is delayed after the stage relay A and changeover relay C by the capacitor 167 so as to prevent any danger of the relays A and C being re-energised. This cycle will repeat until the forty counts from banks 2 and 3 of the control selector S8 cease.

Tens and hundreds section Using a staging system similar to the above, but with three stages and a one to ten ratio over the units section, the 8 bank selector S8 is used to show tens and hundreds. Banks 6 and 7 connect to the tens decade counter of the distance simulating read out sequence 137 through the pins 11 through to 20 of the plug Y. The .corre-. sponding contacts of the banks 6 and 7 are intercom nected, but for the purpose of convenience this is shown only in two cases (0 and 1).

Banks 4 and 5 of the control selector S8 are connected in sets of ten consecutive contacts to give five outlets only. These are switched by later relay actions to give seven outlets each representing one hundred revolutions of the rubber ball 113.

Control selector S8 Impulses are received at the coil S8 once every ten revolutions as described above. At contact 22 of bank 3 of S8, the first changeover relay E is energized and this holds in via its own contact E1. Contact E2 connects the relay D to contact 1 of bank 3 when the twenty-fifth step is made, the second changeover relay D is energized from this source and holds in via its contact D4. Contacts D1, D2 and D3 effect changeover from stage 1 to stage 2, and these are necessary since i the number of steps of the uniselector comprising the control selector S8 is not a multiple of ten (in this embodiment twenty-five steps are included).

At the last contact of bank 2 of the control selector S8, the third changeover relay K is energised and holds in via its own contact K1. Contact K2 connects the wiper 3 of S8 to the fifty volt supply line (shown as 169) while contact K3 of the third changeover relay K connects contact 1 of bank 3 of S8 to the fourth change. over relay L instead of to the second changeover relay D. When the wiper 3 of S8 reaches the first contact, the

fourth changeover relay L is energised and holds itself in via its own contact L1. L1 also disconnects the holding in supply from the relays D and E which release, and stage 3, with the exception of the hundred section, is substantially similar in its operation to stage 1.

The contact L3 of the fourth changeover relay L. brings contacts 1 through to 10 of bank 5 of S8 into use for the first time as five hundred, L4 similarly changes one hundred to six hundred and L5 similarly changes two hundred to seven hundred. It is considered that seven hundred and ninety-nine is the maximum numher which needs to be recorded in a game which simulates a game of golf.

Putting, before selected number of drives When, during stage 3 of the control selector S8, the

wiper 3 reaches contact 7, the terminating relay T (FIG. 7) is energised and holds in. At the completion of any drive, during which the terminating relay T is energised, the contacts T3 and N1 close the six volt circuit to the incandescent globes 138, and putting instructions will be given which will depend upon the location of the wiper 8 of S8. At the same time, the detector relay G2 will be disconnected (T1, relay N and contacts N2), and the ball stop will operate since the ball stop solenoid 155 will be de-energised.

Drive score When all scores are zero and the ball is in its upright position, the unit is ready for play. As the ball rotates, the reed switch 148 operates once per revolution, since the reed switch is not designed to carry sufficient current to satisfactorily control the sequences, the detector relay G is used, the reed switch being employed for the purpose of energising the coil G of the detector relay. When the contact G1 is in its normally open position, energising of the coil G will close this contact and it will connect the whole relay H to earth, and at the same time connect to earth the coil of the selector S5 (as previously explained).

The coil of the number of drives selector SSA is earthed through the contact H1, bank 4 of selector SSA, the limit selector switch 135 and either contact H2 or contact T1. When the hold relay H closes, the coil SSA is energised and remains energised until the relay H releases. This will be when the ball stops rotating, since the delay capacitor 171 prevents it from pulsing with the detector. When the hold relay H releases, the selector SSA which works on a reverse drive, completes one step.

This action repeats with each drive, and the wiper of bank 3 of the select-or SSA will indicate the number of drives which have been made. This connection is made through the plug C to the number of drives decade counter 136. Should the ball stop with the switch in the closed position the pulse completing relay M comes into operation to complete the pulse via its own contact M1. The relays H and M are arranged with their time constant with regard to ball stopping with the reed switch closed, so that relay H both closes and opens before M closes, to prevent an additional drive being registered.

When wiper 3 of the control selector S8 (FIG. 8) reaches contact 7, the earth release relay T (FIG. 7) is energised and locks itself in. The contact T1 opens, and when the ball stops and the contact H2 also opens, the earth connection for the coil SSA and the ball stop relay N is broken. The contacts N1 and T3 (normally open) connect six volts to bank 8 of the selector S8 via the pin 11 of plug X, and depending on the position of wiper 8 of S8, that is, the final distance a selected putting instruction will be illuminated via plug A, on the front panel by energising one of the incandescent globes 138.

Contact N2 disconnects the reed switch 148 and causes the ball stop to operate. The player can now complete the game on the putting board 140.

The limit selector switch 135 has six positions, the selected one of which disconnects the corresponding contact on bank 4 of the number of drives selector SSA, from earth. In the circuit shown the said position is seven. This means six drives and one putt. Therefore should six drives have been completed, and this distance still has not reached the predetermined drive distance aimed at (say 560), the earth line is broken and the relay N releases. The ball becomes non-functional, and through the contact N1, T3 (normally closed), pin 9 of plug X and pin 7 of plug A, an illuminated instruction on the front panel would advise player to take a specified bad score.

Reset The unit will at this stage stay in its condition until a coin is inserted. When the coin switch 173 is momentarily closed by the passage of the coin, the reset relay J is energised and holds to bank 2 of the number of drives selector SSA, via S contact J3 until reset is completed.

The normally open contact of J2 closes to reset the selectors 5 and 5A. The normally closed contact J2 opens to release all relays which are on the line marked 175, and the contact J1 resets the selector S8.

For the purpose of simplicity, the normal conventional method of identifying the relay coils and contacts has been used above.

The magnet 146 can if desired be fixed relative to the shaft to rotate with it, and past the reed switch 148 once per revolution.

What I claim is:

1. A golf impact recorder having a driven rubber ball and comprising:

a frame with two spaced longitudinal frame members,

a pair of aligned bearings one in each longitudinal frame member,

a transverse shaft journalled in the bearings and extending therebetween,

a socket in means on the transverse shaft,

a rubber bush in the socket,

a stem of resilient resin based plastics material having an inner head and an outer head,

the stem disposed between the bearings and retained at one end by a rubber bush fixed on said shaft by engagement thereof by said inner head, said stem extending outwardly from the shaft at right angles thereto,

a rubber ball on the other end of the said stem adapted to be driven by the impact of a golf club, the rubber ball being retained on the stem by said outer head,

a magnetic member fixedly attached to said shaft,

a magnetically responsive switch in the path of the magnetic field of said magnetic member,

magnetic field interrupting means fixed relative to the transverse shaft and operable to interrupt the magnetic field through the switch to thereby operate the switch once per revolution,

an electrical counter circuit electrically connected to the reed switch and responsive to the number of closures of the contacts thereof, said electrical counter circuit including a units section, a tens section and a hundreds section,

three decade counter tubes in the electrical circuit connected to read out the number of closures of the reed switch, the first decade counter being connected to the output of the hundreds section, the second to the output of the tens section, and the third to the output of the units section, and

a series of incandescent globes selectively illuminated by the counter circuit through its tens section, whereby the impact force imparted to said driven ball is recorded.

2. A golf impact recorder having a driven rubber ball comprising:

a frame with two spaced longitudinal frame members,

a pair of aligned bearings one in each longitudinal frame member,

a transverse shaft journalled in the bearings and extending outwardly at one end,

a counterweight on the transverse shaft between the said bearings,

a socket in the counterweight,

a rubber bush retained in the socket by spring Wire clips,

a stem of resilient resin based plastic material having an inner head and an outer head, said stem being retained at one end in the rubber bush by engagement thereof by said inner head and extending outwardly therefrom at right angles to the transverse shaft,

a rubber ball on the other end of the stem, the rubber ball being retained on the stem by said outer head,

a pair of resilient strips extending along the top of the frame one on each side of the ball,

a boss magnetic member fixedly attached to but eccentric on the extending end of the transverse shaft,

2. disc containing a cut out portion on the eccentric boss,

a horseshoe magnet fixed relative to the frame, the magnetic field of the magnet being intercepted by the disc during its rotation except when traversed by said cut out portion,

a magnetically responsive switch in the path of the magnetic field of the said magnetic member when traversed by said cut out portion thereby being arranged to close its contacts once per revolution of the disc,

an electrical counter circuit electrically connected to the reed switch and responsive to the number of closures of the contacts thereof, said electrical counter circuit including :1 units section, a tens section and a hundreds section,

three decade counter tubes in the electrical circuit connected to read out the number of closures of the reed switch, the first decade counter being connected to the output of the hundreds section, the second to the output of the tens section, and the third to the output of the units section, and a series of incandescent globes selectively illuminated by the electrical counter circuit through its tens section, whereby the impact imparted to said, driven ball is recorded.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Matteson 73-379 Barker 73-379 Sunstein 235-l03 Para 73-379 Shebanow 200--87.3 

1. A GOLF IMPACT RECORDER HAVING A DRIVEN RUBBER BALL AND COMPRISING: A FRAME WITH TWO SPACED LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBERS, A PAIR OF ALIGNED BEARINGS ONE IN EACH LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBER, A TRANSVERSE SHAFT JOURNALLED IN THE BEARINGS AND EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN, A SOCKET IN MEANS ON THE TRANSVERSE SHAFT, A RUBBER BUSH IN THE SOCKET, A STEM OF RESILIENT RESIN BASED PLASTICS MATERIAL HAVING AN INNER HEAD AND AN OUTER HEAD, THE STEM DISPOSED BETWEEN THE BEARINGS AND RETAINED AT ONE END BY A RUBBER BUSH FIXED ON SAID SHAFT BY ENGAGEMENT THEREOF BY SAID INNER HEAD, SAID STEM EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SHAFT AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO, A RUBBER BALL ON THE OTHER END OF THE SAID STEM ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN BY THE IMPACT OF A GOLF CLUB, THE RUBBER BALL BEING RETAINED ON THE STEM BY SAID OUTER HEAD, A MAGNETIC MEMBER FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT, A MAGNETICALLY RESPONSIVE SWITCH IN THE PATH OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF SAID MAGNETIC MEMBER, MAGNETIC FIELD INTERRUPTING MEANS FIXED RELATIVE TO THE TRANSVERSE SHAFT AND OPERABLE TO INTERRUPT THE MAGNETIC FIELD THROUGH THE SWITCH TO THEREBY OPERATE THE SWITCH ONCE PER REVOLUTION, AN ELECTRICAL COUNTER CIRCUIT ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO THE REED SWITCH AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NUMBER OF CLOSURES OF THE CONTACTS THEREOF, SAID ELECTRICAL COUNTER CIRCUIT INCLUDING A "UNITS" SECTION, A "TENS" SECTION AND A "HUNDREDS" SECTION, THREE DECADE COUNTER TUBES IN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONNECTED TO READ OUT THE NUMBER OF CLOSURES OF THE REED SWITCH, THE FIRST DECADE COUNTER BEING CONNECTED TO THE OUTPUT OF THE "''UNDREDS" SECTION, THE SEOCOND TO THE OUTPUT OF THE "TENS" SECTION, AND THE THIRD TO THE OUTPUT OF THE "UNITS" SECTION, AND A SERIES OF INCANDESCENT GLOBES SELECTIVELY ILLUMINTED BY THE COUNTER CIRCUIT THROUGH ITS "TENS" SECTION, WHEREBY THE IMPACT FORCE IMPARTED TO SAID DRIVEN BALL IS RECORDED. 